Plot: What’s it about?
Thurgood Jenkins (Dave Chappelle) is a custodian with a simple life, he goes to work, he comes home, and he gets high. He doesn’t smoke alone however, as his partners in puff and he have been lighting up together since they were all kids. Brian (Jim Breuer) is slow, but has a good heart and works at a record store, Kenny (Harland Williams) is a kind soul who teaches schoolchildren, and Scarface (Guillermo Diaz) is a fast food worker with a very short fuse. But all four share one common bond, the love of the green and whenever they’re home from a hard day at the office, a group smoke session is started. But one night when he sent out to fetch snacks, Kenny feeds the wrong animal some sweets, a diabetic horse that belongs to a police officer. The horse kicks the bucket and soon enough, Kenny is in jail for killing an officer of the law. His friends want to bail him out before he gets cornholed, but the cash situation is dismal. After some intense silence, the boys decide to sell pot and since Thurgood can smuggle weed from the lab where he works, the idea seems like a golden one. But resistance comes in the form of rival drug pusher Samson Simpson, who puts the pinch on the boys. A raid is planned to steal a ton of grass from the lab, then sell it fast to free Kenny. But the raid goes bad and soon, the boys have to turn narc and help put Samson behind bars. But can these three potheads manage to keep their composure and spring their friend, or will his freedom go up in smoke?
I have to admit, I was never that taken with the films of Cheech & Chong, outside of a couple that were packed with laughs. In other words, I don’t hold out much hope for “stoner” comedies, though an exception is Half Baked, one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. Yes, I said one of the funniest I’ve ever seen and no, I am not the kind to fire up on a regular basis. The movie is lowbrow, but the dialogue is hilarious and the cast simply couldn’t have been more perfect for this picture. Dave Chappelle shows off his stuff before his popular television show, with spot on timing and great reaction work. His costars are just as well chosen, including some cameos that are too great to put into words. This is silly, over the top humor, but it is done with skill, even the wild nonsensical sequences come off with a certain level of polish. So no, you won’t want Half Baked if you’re after intellectual bliss, more like some insane, hilarious fun. The manic pace is almost constant too, so even when jokes fail, a new one is delivered to balance out the equation. I know some folks will dismiss this as just another stoner movie, but in my option, this is a well crafted, wild experience. This new Fully Baked Edition replaces the old bare bones release in grand fashion, with new supplements and even a new DTS soundtrack. So even if you own the previous disc, you’ll want to scrap it and upgrade to this excellent new version. If you like to laugh and aren’t easily offended, then Half Baked is given a high recommendation.
Video: How does it look?
Half Baked is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. Universal is well regarded for their catalog titles and this one proves to be no exception, as the image looks clean and sharp throughout. The main element here is color, which looks vivid, bright, and often overwhelms the visuals, but this is how it is supposed to come across, so the hues are well preserved and look excellent in this treatment. I saw no quibbles to make with the black levels either, as shadow depth is dead on and no visible detail loss is evident, another superb catalog release visual presentation from Universal on this one.
Audio: How does it sound?
In the true tradition of comedies, the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix found here remains basic in function, except for the pop rock musical soundtrack. The music opens up the speakers and adds some depth to the experience, even though the film has a low key, dialogue based approach to audio, as it should be here. The vocals sound terrific and never get overpowered, while the sound effects are well covered also, just a solid, but unmemorable mix. In this new version, we also have a new DTS soundtrack, but this is mostly dialogue and as such, there isn’t a massive upgrade in overall presence. The music does have more depth, as do a handful of scenes, but even so, I would rather have DTS than go without. This disc also includes French and Spanish language tracks, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Tamra Davis, the film’s director sits down and discusses the production in an audio commentary track, but don’t expect the world here. She has some insights on what the shoot was like, the cast and the material, but not enough stories to last. So give it a listen, but prepare for some stretches of silence and narration. You can also check out an alternate end sequence, as well as a selection of ten outrageous deleted scenes, sure to please fans. This disc also includes five minutes with the guy on the couch, recipes from Granny’s cookbook, and a special look at the different types of smokers.
